“The coin will be released into circulation on Henrik Wergeland’s birthday, Tuesday 17 June”, says Trond Eklund, director of Norges Bank’s Cashier’s Department. The coin is the same size and composition as the ordinary 10-krone coin and will be legal tender. The new 10-krone coin will be released in connection with a number of events in the city centre hosted by Wergeland 2008. One of these events will take place at Bankplassen, in front of Norges Bank, and the public will have the opportunity to purchase 10-krone coin at face value”, says Eklund.

The obverse of the coin shows the portrait of King Harald V, as featured on special edition circulation coins in recent years, and was designed by Ingrid Austlid Rise, a designer at Det Norske Myntverket AS (Mint of Norway). The reverse of the coin was designed by Enzo Finger and depicts Henrik Wergeland’s characteristic glasses and signature.

A silver commemorative coin was issued earlier this year to mark the anniversary. The silver coin has a nominal value of NOK 200 and will be issued in a limited edition of 40 000 coins. The design of the silver commemorative coin is the same as that of the circulation coin. The coin can be purchased directly from Norges Bank via our online shop: www.norges-bank.no/myntsalg/  

For photographs and descriptions of the circulation and the commemorative coin, please see our website www.norges-bank.no (In Norwegian).

For further information, please contact:
Assistant Director Leif Veggum, tel. +47 22 31 62 93
Senior Economist Ragnhild L. Solberg, tel. +47 22 31 64 54.